Artists brief Saif Saeed al-Dosari and other attendees about their works

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*Qatari and Indian artists present diverse artistic insights at Katara

*Two art exhibitions form part of the 2019 Qatar-India Year of Culture

Katara–the Cultural Village opened two exhibitions recently as part of the 2019 Qatar–India Year of Culture showcasing the works of Qatari and Indian artists and photographers at Building 18. The opening ceremony was attended by Katara’s human resources manager Saif Saeed al-Dosari, a number of diplomats and artists.
The first exhibition is a fine art display of artists Mohamed Junaid, Aisha al-Mohannadi and Mahesh Kumar, bringing a variety of images from India. It portrays India’s rich cultural and human heritage. Junaid’s creativity in drawing was highlighted with “the faces of India”, where the features are closely related to the earth and tell different stories.

Some 50 photos taken by Qatari and Indian photographers on display at the exhibition

The opening ceremony was attended by Katara officials and a number of ambassadors and artists

Qatari and Indian artists brought a variety of images, which reflect "the faces of India."

“Faces always tell stories even if they do not speak. Some tell struggling stories while some complain the cruelty of life, including faces overflowing with sadness and pain,” he noted. “The ones tell stories of love and joy especially if those faces are from India.”
Al-Mohannadi, through her paintings, illuminated the historical depth of the economic and trade relationship between Qatar and India.
She stressed that her artworks are inspired by the ancient economic relations between the two countries, and the most important types of trade are exchanges of tea, spices, oud, and oud oil. The daily use of these items has become essential for the Qatari people: it influences the temperament of the individual, according to al-Mohannadi.
Meanwhile, Kumar presented “paintings that fall within a realistic feature.” His brush added beauty to the buildings and ancient places reflecting the magnificent charm and richness of India. “People are always attracted towards nature, full of greenery but I find beauty in ruined and old places or buildings which are always been neglected,” Kumar said. “I call it the masterpiece of nature that creates history”.
"Such dilapidated buildings and places help us to create a mirror image of that time. Each ruin has a story behind it. These stories inspire me to visit such abandoned buildings and places in India and I try to depict the hidden beauty on canvas,” Kumar added.
The second show, a photography exhibition organised by Katara in co-operation with Youth Hobbies Centre, features 50 photos presented by several Qatari and Indian photographers. Members of the group focused their lenses on many pictures inspired by customs, traditions and landscapes of India and Qatar.